# meshTerm SSH FTP via Tailscale — SSH Client, Agents, Containers

> Secure SSH/SFTP client with integrated Tailscale and persistent terminal sessions. (iPhone/iPad app by JAMES WILLIAM BETCHLEY.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshterm-ssh-ftp-via-tailscale/id6761196011 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [JAMES WILLIAM BETCHLEY](https://appshunter.io/developer/1888218641)
- Category: Developer Tools, Productivity
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 26.0 · 48 MB
- Languages: American English, European Spanish
- Released: 2026-04-01
- Data updated: 2026-08-24
- Monetization: freemium
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshterm-ssh-ftp-via-tailscale/id6761196011/reviews.md

## What is meshTerm SSH FTP via Tailscale?

A fast, private SSH and SFTP client for engineers. meshTerm brings its own Tailscale with it, so your servers are reachable from anywhere without a separate app and without exposing a port. And with built in persistence your sessions keep running when your phone does not: roam from cellular to WiFi, background the app, or come back tomorrow, and your shell and scrollback are still there.

BUILT-IN TAILSCALE, MULTIPLE TAILNETS
meshTerm has its own Tailscale stack, running entirely in-app. No separate Tailscale app to install, and no conflict with any other VPN you use. Sign in to your Tailscale account, or add an auth key, and your device joins your tailnet over WireGuard; SSH, SFTP and port forwarding all route through the encrypted tunnel natively. Browse your tailnet and add a device as a host in one tap. Tailscale SSH nodes need no passwords and no keys at all. Multiple profiles switch between work and personal tailnets, and a host can bind to one so it switches on connect.

SESSIONS THAT SURVIVE
Out of the box meshTerm is tmux-aware, so you get solid reconnect with nothing extra to install. If you want more, mtroamd is an optional open-source service for your own server: one tap to install, just as easy to remove, and it lets a session follow you from phone to laptop. Either way, backgrounding the app, losing cellular or switching devices does not end your session.

MULTI-CLIENT, NAMED SESSIONS
Open named sessions per host: dev, logs, tests. Attach exclusively, or read-only to watch a session someone else is driving. Per-host idle timeouts from 1 hour to Never. A Sessions tab keeps every live session one tap away.

AI AGENTS, NATIVE
Run Claude Code, Codex, and Gemini on your own servers and drive them from a native chat: streaming replies, per-tool approvals that stay pinned until you answer, plan mode, token-usage chips, slash commands, and file attachments from iOS. Agent sessions survive app restarts, and you can resume any past conversation, including ones you started in the terminal.

DOCKER AND PODMAN
Manage containers on any host you have already added: browse containers, images, volumes and networks, start and stop and remove, bring Compose stacks up and down, follow logs or exec into a shell, and prune. Nothing to install and nothing to expose, just the docker or podman CLI already on your server, over SSH.

A KEYBOARD BUILT FOR THE TERMINAL
A three-page palette: features, a keys page built from your own key groups, and one-tap session switching. Assign actions to the volume buttons. A predictive strip suggests commands from your remote shell history as you type, and a floating pill jumps you back to the live prompt in full-screen tools.

PORT FORWARDING AND SFTP
Local forwards and SOCKS5 proxies per host with live status. Browse, upload, download, rename and delete files on any server, with iOS Files integration.

SNIPPETS, MACROS, SECRETS
A searchable Snippet Vault and a one-tap macro bar. Secret macros back values with the iOS Keychain, optionally gated by Face ID. Secret Profiles inject your environment and keys into a running session on tap, with nothing typed and nothing left on screen. Mark a key hidden and its value is brokered only to the commands you allow, so an agent can use it without ever reading it.

SSH KEYS, SEARCH, TAGS
Generate Ed25519 or ECDSA keys on-device, import passphrase-protected keys, and install public keys in one tap. Search scrollback with a live match count. Tag and filter hosts. Full Spanish throughout.

PRIVACY BY DESIGN
No analytics, no telemetry, no tracking SDKs. Credentials and keys live in the iOS Keychain, hardware-encrypted and device-only. Nothing routes through us.

meshTerm Pro
Every feature works in the free tier. Pro lifts the 1-host, 1-session and 1-agent limits to unlimited and adds Docker and Podman, Secret Profiles, and iCloud Sync, which keeps hosts, keys, macros and preferences on every device, end-to-end encrypted.

## Key features

- Built-in Tailscale stack
- Persistent terminal sessions
- Customizable command-line keyboard
- Predictive command suggestions
- SSH and SFTP support
- Multi-client named sessions
- Privacy-focused design

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Pro Annual | $12.99 | per year |



## Frequently asked questions about meshTerm SSH FTP via Tailscale

### What is meshTerm?

meshTerm is a private SSH and SFTP client for engineers. It offers features like built-in Tailscale, persistent terminal sessions that sync across devices, and a specialized keyboard for command-line work.

### Does meshTerm require a separate Tailscale app?

No, meshTerm has its own integrated Tailscale stack that runs entirely in-app. You can sign in to your Tailscale account or use an auth key to join your tailnet without needing a separate VPN application.

### How do persistent terminal sessions work in meshTerm?

Sessions in meshTerm are designed to survive device changes, network loss, and app backgrounding. They utilize a persistent ring buffer and can be resumed exactly where you left off, including scrollback and unfinished prompts.

### What are the subscription plans for meshTerm?

meshTerm offers a Pro subscription with monthly ($1.99/month) and annual ($12.99/year) plans, providing access to advanced features.

### Is meshTerm suitable for left-handed users?

Yes, meshTerm includes a left-handed chrome feature that mirrors the bottom-edge UI to the leading side, improving usability for left-handed users.

### How does meshTerm handle SSH credentials and keys?

SSH credentials and keys are stored securely in the iOS Keychain, which is hardware-encrypted. This ensures your sensitive information is protected.

### Can I use meshTerm on multiple devices?

Yes, meshTerm is designed for cross-device synchronization. You can start a session on your iPhone and pick it up on your laptop, with your terminal state preserved.

### Does meshTerm have ads?

No, meshTerm does not contain advertisements. The app is free to use with optional in-app purchases for Pro features.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.1.7 — 2026-08-11

Docker and Podman
Manage containers on any host you have already added. Browse containers, images, volumes and networks, start and stop and restart and remove, bring Compose stacks up and down, follow logs or exec into a shell in a terminal tab, and see what your images and build cache are costing you before you prune. Nothing to install on your server and nothing to expose: meshTerm drives the docker or podman CLI that is already there, over the SSH connection you already trust. Stuck on one? Hand it to Claude, Codex or Gemini and debug it together.

Secrets an agent can use but never read (Pro)
Mark any key in a Secret Profile as hidden. Its value is brokered only to the commands you allow, so an agent can run a deploy or call an API without the token ever appearing in its context, its logs, or your scrollback.

### 2.1.5 — 2026-07-24

Faster, steadier reconnects
Returning to the app is quicker and more reliable. meshTerm now refreshes stale network paths the moment you wake, re-probes a dropped link in about a second, and no longer double-reconnects on a deep link. Your sessions snap back where you left them.

Clean reattach for full-screen tools
Full-screen apps like Claude Code, vim, and htop now repaint correctly when you return to a session. No more blank screen, split screen, or missing prompt after backgrounding, locking, or switching devices.

Secret Profiles, delivered live (Pro)
Inject a Secret Profile straight into the session you are already in. Your environment and keys reach a running shell or agent with one tap, with nothing typed and nothing left on screen. Works over plain SSH, MTRoam, and tmux.

Fixes and polish
More resilient wake from background and lock, and a range of stability improvements across sessions and reconnects.

### 2.1.4 — 2026-07-18

Agent mode
The terminal grows a native AI surface. Start Claude Code, Codex, or Gemini on any of your hosts and drive it from a real chat: streaming replies, per-tool approvals that stay pinned until you answer, plan mode, model and thinking-effort pickers, token-usage chips, and slash commands. Agents keep running through app restarts and network drops; resume any previous conversation, including ones you started in the terminal. Attach files straight from iOS into the agent's workspace.

Approvals and sandboxing
Codex and Claude ask before commands and edits, and the request waits for you instead of scrolling away. Gemini's Sandbox mode pauses writes outside the working directory for your approval, with optional bubblewrap kernel hardening on the host.

The keyboard palette
The accessory keyboard is now a three page palette: features (files, search, snippets, tunnels, agents), your own key groups, and one-tap session switching. Build your top row, key groups, and minimized bar with the new Customize Keyboard editor. Swipe down to dismiss the keyboard, or use the new hide button next to Back.

Tunnels
Add a port forward straight from the Tunnels sheet with (+).
It starts on the live connection immediately, no reconnect needed, and persists on the host for every future connect.

Fixes and polish
Smoother agent-chat scrolling, more resilient reconnects, a fix for SSH control commands that could hang forever, and a copy pass across the app (including the Tailscale SSH setup command, which now includes the sudo it always needed).

### 2.1.2 — 2026-07-03

- Port forwarding, native browser for viewing web ui via ssh tunnel.
- Improved Tailscale SSH connections. 
- Faster, more reliable reconnects when you return to the app from lockscreen, with smoother handling for tmux sessions.
- Stability and polish fixes, including unified Hosts & Sessions Tab, simplified settings menu and improved host observability features.

### 2.1.1 — 2026-06-26

Bug fixes.
- New users were not being presented with SSO Tailscale sign in as an option, without first setting up a new profile.
- Inability to rename SFTP folders.

## Related topics

[meshterm ssh ftp via tailscale](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/meshterm-ssh-ftp-via-tailscale) · [tailscale ssh](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/tailscale-ssh)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-24.*